The Inner Light (episode)
After encountering an alien probe, Picard wakes up as "Kamin," a resident of the planet Kataan. Summary :"Captain's Log, Stardate 45944.1. Following a magnetic wave survey of the Parvenium system, we have detected an object which we cannot immediately identify." As the ''Enterprise'' encounters an unknown space probe, it emits a low level nucleonic beam at Jean-Luc Picard. Picard faints, but soon awakens with a strange woman calling him "Kamin". He soon learns that he is not on a holodeck simulation; in fact, he is no longer on the Enterprise, and nobody has even heard of the Enterprise. Over the next few days, Picard discovers many new facts about his "new" existence. His name is Kamin, and he has a friend named Batai. The woman he first meets is his wife Eline, and he is an ironweaver who enjoys playing his flute. Finally, Picard learns that he now lives in the community of Ressik on the planet Kataan. Back on the Enterprise, Riker calls sickbay for help, and Picard falls into a coma. Beverly Crusher arrives and discovers Picard is undergoing tremendous neurological activity. It seems the alien probe has locked itself onto Picard. Dr. Crusher decides against destroying the probe in that the Captain may be injured, so they wait. thumb|Batai Five years have passed on Kataan, and we notice that "Kamin" has become integrated into his new society. He suggests to the visiting administrator that atmospheric condensers are needed to survive the extended drought they are currently experiencing. His ideas are rejected, but Batai notes that it the first time Kamin has spoken as a member of the community in years. Later that evening, Kamin and Eline plan for a family. Back on the Enterprise, Geordi has launched a probe to follow the alien probe's ion trail back to its source. Data has determined a method of disrupting the beam, and they make plans to implement Data's idea. Once again, several years have passed on Kataan. Kamin and Eline are in the middle of a "naming ceremony" for their second child, named Batai (for their late friend). Right after the ceremony, Kamin suddenly collapses. On the Enterprise, Dr. Crusher tries in vain to stabilize Picard. Data reestablishes the beam, thereby stabilizing Picard's condition. Ten years have passed on Kataan, and Kamin, together with his adult daughter Meribor, have found that the soil is simply dead. The drought has gone on too long. Geordi has managed to trace the alien probe's path back to a system called Kataan, which contains no habitable planets as the star went nova approximately one thousand years earlier. Many more years have passes on Kataan, and Kamin is visibly old. Using his telescope, he has discovered that the drought will continue indefinitely, and the planet may be doomed. He argues with the administrator, who tells him in confidence that the government scientists came to the same conclusion several years earlier, and there is an effort underway to save "some" piece of the civilization. Later, Eline dies a natural death, and Kamin grieves. Years later, an extremely old Kamin is going to view "the launching". Kamin asks, "What is it they're launching?" "You know it, father. You've already seen it." "Seen it? What are you talking about? I haven't seen any missile." "Yes, you have, old friend. Don't you remember?" Kamin turns to see his old friend, Batai, but in the prime of his life. Batai explains, "You saw it just before you came here. We hoped our probe would encounter someone in the future – someone who could be a teacher, someone who could tell the others about us." "Oh...oh, it's me...isn't it? I'm the someone. I'm the one it finds. That's what this launching is – a probe that finds me in the future!" Picard regains consciousness on the bridge of the Enterprise as the alien probe breaks contact. After the initial disorientation, he discovers that he has lived an entire lifetime in the course of 20 real-time minutes! Later, Riker delivers to Picard a small box found inside the alien probe. Picard opens it to find his flute, which he plays softly to himself once Riker leaves. Background Information * Winner of the 1993 Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation * Patrick Stewart's son, Daniel Stewart, portrays Picard's son Batai during his life on Kataan. * Eline's constant reminders to Kamin to put away his shoes are a metaphor to that he is literally walking in another man's shoes. Her final words are "Remember, put away your shoes". * "Kamin" is german for chimney. Whether this has a deeper meaning or is just coincidence is not certain. Links and References Guest Stars *Margot Rose as Eline *Richard Riehle as Batai *Scott Jaeck as Administrator *Jennifer Nash as Meribor *Patti Yasutake as Alyssa Ogawa *Daniel Stewart as Young Batai References cortical stimulator; delactovine; Early History Inner Light, The de:Das zweite Leben nl:The Inner Light